Author: Dan Ramalho Grade Level: 10th grade/ Low level class Course: Biology
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of this unit is for the students to learn about the many parts of the theory of evolution. They will begin the unit with a brief background of evolution including a general definition for evolution, what it means to be a theory, and how Charles Darwin and other scientists helped to bring the theory of evolution together. From there comes natural selection (Darwin's Theory). They will explore how certain characteristics and traits can be more effective in survival and reproduction, and what that means for evolution. This will mean performing labs that require collecting data, taking observations and drawing conclusions from them (Just like Darwin). The students will learn about genetic drift, the different types of natural selection, and isolation. They will also look at some of the evidence of evolution with some fossils and embryology. Once students have grasped how organisms relate, differ, evolve, and how we learned to find these differences, they will begin their work on categorizing organisms in Cladograms and Dichotomous keys (Both diagrams biologists use in classification). This is a pretty full covering on the basic and intermediate knowledge behind the theory of Evolution.
Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by…
8a illustrating that when an environment changes, the survival advantage /disadvantage of some characteristics may change.
8b distinguish between microevolution (on small scale within a single population –e.g., change in gene frequency within a population) and macroevolution (on a scale that transcends boundaries of a single species – e.g., diversity of all beetle species within the order of insects) and explain how macroevolution accounts for speciation and extinction.
8c recognizing patterns in molecular and fossil evidence, to provide a scientific explanation for Natural Selection and its evolutionary consequences (e.g. survival, adaptation).
Students demonstrate an understanding of classification of organisms by …
8d using data or models (charts, diagrams, table, narratives etc.) to analyze how organisms are organized into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on evolutionary relationships. (e.g. creating a taxonomic key to organize a given set of examples).
7c citing evidence of how natural selection and its evolutionary consequences provide a scientific explanation for the diversity and unity of past and present life forms on Earth.(e.g. Galapagos Islands, Hawaiian Islands, Australia, geographic isolation, adaptive radiation).
This class is a lower level class and a few students have IEP's and therefore some accomodations will have to be made. First off their ability to pay attention for a full class of lecture is not possible and the lecture portion of my class should not exceed 10 minutes. This class also has a co-teacher who will be around for assisting me in supporting students with needs. The assessments, classwork, homework, and topic of evolution will have to be made easier and with more motivational accommodations included in the unit. Some motivational work will include online game activities, added videos for educational support, and well designed power point slides to keep their eyes up front.
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 An introduction to evolution and Charles Darwin. Lesson 2 Natural selection, and how variations can be advantages. Lesson 3 Adaptation vs acclimation. Lesson 4 A Look at how some organisms can use sneakiest to pass genes. "Survival of the FIttest" Lesson 5 Defining terms. Lesson 6 Evolution, the big picture. Lesson 7 Dichotomous Keys Lesson 8 Cladograms
Test review (Study guide review, board races.)
Test day
The students will have 2 quizzes, 2 homeworks, one posterboard creation for classwork, and 1 unit exam. Common misconceptions about evolution is that the strongest fastest animals survive, a whole day is dedicated to suppressing that belief with our survival of the sneakiest lesson. Quizzes and one of the homeworks, help guide us along. They show me what the students need reinforcement with as well as show them what my exams will contain. Another homework (drawing a Human Dinosaur) is a fun creative way that students can demonstrate how when organisms are closely related they will have common traits. So, they may draw a green scaly big toothed human with short arms.
Their inquiry lesson will be on cladograms. After they learn what they are and how they look, students will design their own cladogram in groups from the use of animal cards and their underlined description. This means they will have to pay attention to little details, they may not come up with the perfect cladogram, however they will be required to support their reasoning behind it.
The order of the lessons starts from the basics and history behind the unit. They also start with a cool video on Darwin which displays the original thought behind the creation of this theory. They move up the ladder of terms and theories. To understand things later in the unit they will need to understand the earlier concepts. They end the unit by displaying their knowledge of adaptations and relations in Dichotomous keys and cladograms. Most students are fascinated to a point by animals, and so I added examples for many of the terms with real life animal clips.
The unit exam covers each of the topics, a mix of multiple choice, essays, short answer, and matching. In the exam are pictures to add a little fun to the exam but they will be questioned linked (less fun).
Title: Evolution
Author: Dan RamalhoGrade Level: 10th grade/ Low level class
Course: Biology
Purpose of Unit
The purpose of this unit is for the students to learn about the many parts of the theory of evolution. They will begin the unit with a brief background of evolution including a general definition for evolution, what it means to be a theory, and how Charles Darwin and other scientists helped to bring the theory of evolution together. From there comes natural selection (Darwin's Theory). They will explore how certain characteristics and traits can be more effective in survival and reproduction, and what that means for evolution. This will mean performing labs that require collecting data, taking observations and drawing conclusions from them (Just like Darwin). The students will learn about genetic drift, the different types of natural selection, and isolation. They will also look at some of the evidence of evolution with some fossils and embryology. Once students have grasped how organisms relate, differ, evolve, and how we learned to find these differences, they will begin their work on categorizing organisms in Cladograms and Dichotomous keys (Both diagrams biologists use in classification). This is a pretty full covering on the basic and intermediate knowledge behind the theory of Evolution.Learning Performances and Standards
GSE LS3 (9-11)-8
Students demonstrate an understanding of Natural Selection/ evolution by…
8a illustrating that when an environment changes, the survival advantage /disadvantage of some characteristics may change.
8b distinguish between microevolution (on small scale within a single population –e.g., change in gene frequency within a population) and macroevolution (on a scale that transcends boundaries of a single species – e.g., diversity of all beetle species within the order of insects) and explain how macroevolution accounts for speciation and extinction.
8c recognizing patterns in molecular and fossil evidence, to provide a scientific explanation for Natural Selection and its evolutionary consequences (e.g. survival, adaptation).
Students demonstrate an understanding of classification of organisms by …
8d using data or models (charts, diagrams, table, narratives etc.) to analyze how organisms are organized into a hierarchy of groups and subgroups based on evolutionary relationships. (e.g. creating a taxonomic key to organize a given set of examples).
7c citing evidence of how natural selection and its evolutionary consequences provide a scientific explanation for the diversity and unity of past and present life forms on Earth.(e.g. Galapagos Islands, Hawaiian Islands, Australia, geographic isolation, adaptive radiation).
This class is a lower level class and a few students have IEP's and therefore some accomodations will have to be made. First off their ability to pay attention for a full class of lecture is not possible and the lecture portion of my class should not exceed 10 minutes. This class also has a co-teacher who will be around for assisting me in supporting students with needs. The assessments, classwork, homework, and topic of evolution will have to be made easier and with more motivational accommodations included in the unit. Some motivational work will include online game activities, added videos for educational support, and well designed power point slides to keep their eyes up front.
Lesson Sequence
Lesson 1 An introduction to evolution and Charles Darwin.
Lesson 2 Natural selection, and how variations can be advantages.
Lesson 3 Adaptation vs acclimation.
Lesson 4 A Look at how some organisms can use sneakiest to pass genes. "Survival of the FIttest"
Lesson 5 Defining terms.
Lesson 6 Evolution, the big picture.
Lesson 7 Dichotomous Keys
Lesson 8 Cladograms
Test review (Study guide review, board races.)
Test day
Assessment Plan/ Rationale
The students will have 2 quizzes, 2 homeworks, one posterboard creation for classwork, and 1 unit exam. Common misconceptions about evolution is that the strongest fastest animals survive, a whole day is dedicated to suppressing that belief with our survival of the sneakiest lesson. Quizzes and one of the homeworks, help guide us along. They show me what the students need reinforcement with as well as show them what my exams will contain. Another homework (drawing a Human Dinosaur) is a fun creative way that students can demonstrate how when organisms are closely related they will have common traits. So, they may draw a green scaly big toothed human with short arms.
Their inquiry lesson will be on cladograms. After they learn what they are and how they look, students will design their own cladogram in groups from the use of animal cards and their underlined description. This means they will have to pay attention to little details, they may not come up with the perfect cladogram, however they will be required to support their reasoning behind it.
The order of the lessons starts from the basics and history behind the unit. They also start with a cool video on Darwin which displays the original thought behind the creation of this theory. They move up the ladder of terms and theories. To understand things later in the unit they will need to understand the earlier concepts. They end the unit by displaying their knowledge of adaptations and relations in Dichotomous keys and cladograms. Most students are fascinated to a point by animals, and so I added examples for many of the terms with real life animal clips.
The unit exam covers each of the topics, a mix of multiple choice, essays, short answer, and matching. In the exam are pictures to add a little fun to the exam but they will be questioned linked (less fun).